Quote:
Originally Posted by jaank
I can't see how MM car would work good on low-grip surfaces.
Slippery astro doesn't count as low-grip.
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Think again
Mid-motor can be absolutely killer on low bite! To be honest I think a Vega might not be the finest example because I think a more flexible chassis will offer better performance on low bite, but I haven't tried it. However, there are some cars I experienced/drove myself and are very nice!
X-6 (Sq): By far the easiest RWD I've ever driven! It has tons of rear grip (even on dusty, bumpy clay) and the car feels very forgiving. Anyone who can't get around on dirt should try one of these cars - there are tons of setups for this car on low bite so it shouldn't be hard getting it right.
TLR22/22 2.0: It's not without reason the Junior Euros Champion used his TLR22 in mid-motor configuration - the rear-motor can be quicker, but according to him it doesn't feel comfortable, and the times are not as consistent as a mid-motor. The setups are on PetitRC (
Example, Click): No strange tricks with weights (only weight under the shorty), just a really well thought out setup.
I tried both his 22 and 22 2.0 - the 22 was nice, the 22 2.0 was nothing short of amazing! Very smooth on all fronts, good amount of steering, the rear end slides, but so little that you don't need to countersteer, and lastly: it begs to be pushed and doesn't bite back! It feels much more nimble than an X-6 Sq, but I do want to add the 22 seems to require a much more specific setup to work that well.
DEX210: A fellow club member of mine didn't get the RM DEX210 to work for him in the first few months of racing, so he stuck with mid-motor. I tried his car and it seemed a litle edgy on the rear when you pushed it - other than that it was very solid!
After driving his car I decided to go down the same route. The car needs some small mods/upgrades. For example, the rear droop needs to be increased to the limit of what the shock can give you. Also, I decided to run a shorty pack and Cream battery stopper in the rear of the car. I'm still running too stiff a damper setup so it's lacking a bit of rear grip currently, yet I don't find my car that edgy (I run shorter front links than him, it might be down to that). Once I soften the setup on the car it shouldn't be far off from the other two mid-motors I just mentioned.
My Conclusion: I'm not implying any of these cars is best - it's down to setup and preference of driving style. However, I do want to point out mid-motor can be an excellent choice on low bite, and I chose a mid-motor over a rear-motor because:
- I found the MM is more gentle and will warn you when you tend to step over the line. It will feel sort of comfortable even when the setup is not optimal (Which also makes it harder to spot where you can find the edge in your setup).
- I found RM has more of a temper and you don't know when it's going to fight you. Also, the car can feel pretty dreadful to drive when the setup is not there yet (Which also should make it easier to spot what setup changes will make the car feel better and quicker).